The No. 1 Song On August 23, 1999 Sounds Even Catchier Today

On August 23, 1999, "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera was nearing the end of a five-week run as the No. 1 song in the United States. The first of five chart-toppers for Aguilera, the song about yearning, pleading, and trying to check oneself as they dive into a romance too quickly marked the singer's initial entry on the Hot 100, and today, the song is as catchy as ever. The track kicked off a long career of vocal theatrics-laden dance-pop, positioning Aguilera as a rival of the likes of Britney Spears and other favored acts of MTV's "TRL" until the disappearance of the chart-influencing after school music show. Such as it was in the messed up 1990s music industry.

"Genie in a Bottle" rapidly ascended the charts, reaching No. 1 in just its fifth week on the chart. That may have something to do with the song's precision pop perfection. Aimed at a young audience, the themes of simultaneous fear and excitement about an intense flirtation resonated with its listeners, as did the mixture of Aguilera's obvious singing talent with chill and modern hip-hop beats. Here's how fame came quickly for Christina Aguilera thanks to the memorable "Genie in a Bottle."

Within a couple of days of the introductory meeting for newly connected EMI Music songwriters David Frank, Steve Kipner, and Pam Sheyne, Frank was hit mid-sleep with a magical melody. "The muse smiled down on me, and when Steve and Pam came over, it was a very fluid process," Frank said in "The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits." "And there was no doubt this was a hit song."

Just who would take that song, initially titled "If You Want to Be With Me" (after the first line of the chorus) on its inevitable journey to No. 1, was contested. A new, buzzed-about girl group called Innocence almost got the song, until an RCA representative persuaded the songwriters to let emerging singer Christina Aguilera have a shot. They weren't thrilled — her last single, a flop recording of the ballad "Reflection" from the 1998 movie "Mulan," presented her as too serious of a vocalist. But a powerful audition convinced the songwriters she was the right artist. For "Genie in a Bottle" — suggested by Aguilera's management — the singer submitted lead and backing vocals to go atop the music from the demo.

While many stars seriously dislike Christina Aguilera, she was virtually untouchable in the beginning. In addition to occupying the No. 1 spot on the pop chart for five weeks in the summer of 1999, "Genie in a Bottle" sold 3 million copies and certainly helped the musician win the Grammy Award for best new artist.